Need An Id On My Pleco

[Ranger]

Hello, I've had my pleco for some time now and I have just realized that I don't know what type it is. It's currently about... 23cm. I don't have a actual picture of it but it looks like these... http/www.gsas.org/Gallery/pleco.jpg Thanks for your help

 

[KathyM]

That picture is of a liposarcus pardalis (one of the species sold as "common plecs").

 

[Ranger]

These aren't the type that are harmful to Bichirs are they?

 

[LisaLQ]

I've never heard of a plec being bad for anything, maybe the other way around?

 

[§tudz]

These aren't the type that are harmful to Bichirs are they?

As long as you feed your plec correctly you will be fine.

Some plecs develope a taste for polypterus slime, and like to suck it off them, causing health problem with the birchirs.

I've kept a Bristlenose and an L001 (a close relavtive to the sailfin Plec) with my two Polypterus and not had any problems.

 

[HODDY]

it looks like a bristle nose or a common pleco.just my opinion

 

[§tudz]

it looks like a bristle nose or a common pleco.just my opinion

looks nothing like a BN, and as for common there are about 4 diferent species sold as common KathyM has ID'd it already mate

 

[Ranger]

Yeah, it already got IDed thank you. Whenever there isn't a noticeable amount of algae for him to munch on I always feed him.

 

[LisaLQ]

Plecs dont live on algae, so you'll have to feed him every day just like you do your other fish, just with plec foods Good plec tablets, then courgette, cucumber, lettuce and other veggies (I'm sure someone else will have more ideas). Cut off a chunk of courgette/cucumber, and stick a teaspoon through it to weigh it down - he'll be on it in no time

I dont give mine veggies every day (more like every other day), but they do get plec tablets/wafers and they tend to clear up any food the cichlids leave too.

 

[i am cod]

if its the same as the pic then its what is sold as a south american plec,they are one of the most common plecs available which should carry a warning [in my small opinion] as the bigger they get the more agressive they become, usualy towards other plecs but will chase/ram other fish that get close.Cant give you an precise max size reports differ but i have seen them up to 17'',and they are teritorial. Most damage is done to other fish by the plecs skin as its like sand paper so may not be intetional. I had 4 ranging from 4'' to 13'' and they became agressive at about 6''

 

[xingumike]

nice bump lol

 

[Gibbo]

What do you feed your Polypterus? Your plecs would also appreciate the odd bit of meaty food as well, such as frozen prawn/cockle every now and then. They will scavenge on most things in the wild, including fish carcases....

Plecs dont live on algae, so you'll have to feed him every day just like you do your other fish, just with plec foods Good plec tablets, then courgette, cucumber, lettuce and other veggies (I'm sure someone else will have more ideas). Cut off a chunk of courgette/cucumber, and stick a teaspoon through it to weigh it down - he'll be on it in no time

I dont give mine veggies every day (more like every other day), but they do get plec tablets/wafers and they tend to clear up any food the cichlids leave too.